By Julian Linden
MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Williams driver Valtteri Bottas withdrew from Sunday's season-opening Australian Grand Prix because of a back injury.
The Finn, who qualified sixth at Albert Park, felt lower back pain during Saturday's qualifying session and was taken to hospital for scans.
The team released a statement less than hour before the start of Sunday's race saying the scans had shown that Bottas had suffered a tear in a disc in his lower back and would not take part in the race.
"It can be confirmed that the scans revealed that Valtteri had suffered a very small tear in the annular part of a disc in his lower back," the team said.
"Valtteri has since been evaluated by the FIA's medical team and following a series of tests, the FIA Medical Delegate has deemed Valtteri unfit to take part in this afternoon's race.
"The team respect the FIA's decision and will now work with Valtteri ahead of the Malaysian Grand Prix (on March 29) to ensure he receives the treatment required to get him back to full fitness."
Bottas enjoyed a breakthrough season in 2014, securing six podium finishes for Williams to claim fourth place in the championship.
With Bottas out of the race, each of the 12 drivers that qualified behind him moved up one place on the grid, with Australia's Daniel Ricciardo, who qualified seventh, taking the sixth spot.
The first five cars remain the same with Britain's Lewis Hamilton starting from pole position ahead of his Mercedes team mate Nico Rosberg.
Only 17 cars will start the race. In addition to Bottas, the two Manor Marussia cars will remain idle in their team garage after not taking place in qualifying because of software problems.